Educational consultant Robert Watson addresses the crowd at a public hearing on a City of Poughkeepsie charter school proposal on Aug. 1, 2018. Seated behind him are Felicia Watson, president of the public Poughkeepsie City School District and Watson's sister, and interim Poughkeepsie Superintendent Kathleen Farrell.(Photo: Nina Schutzman/Poughkeepsie Journal)Buy Photo

SUNY officials ought to move ever so cautiously before deciding to give the go-ahead for a charter school in the City of Poughkeepsie. Such a move could do more harm than good.

It’s true, as the saying goes, that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. And, with that notion in mind, it’s hard to be totally against a charter school effort. For literally decades, the school district has suffered from low-graduation rates and has been beset by scandals, so changes are, indeed, necessary.

But the proposal being put forth by Robert Watson, a former Poughkeepsie schools superintendent, raises questions and could do more financial damage to the public school district. That must not be allowed to happen.

Watson says the charter school would serve about 200 kindergarten through four-grade students its first year and, over a five-year plan, aim to have slightly more than 400 kindergarten through eighth-grade students. The so-called “Hudson Valley Charter School” would located in the Poughkeepsie school district. The application to start the charter school is pending before the Charter Schools Institute of the State University of New York (SUNY). If approved, it would be the first charter school in the city and Dutchess County.

“Ideally, our expectation is collaboration in competition — not just competition” with the Poughkeepsie district, Watson has told the Journal.

While charter schools are run independently, they are publicly funded. And there’s the rub: This school could receive $3.4 million in Poughkeepsie district funding during its first year, about 3.4 percent of the public schools’ nearly $100 million annual budget, according to its application. By its fifth year, the estimate would increase to $7.5 million. The school district, which at this point is responsible for about 4,700 students, could not take such a financial hit, especially when you consider it is already one of seven other districts that have filed a lawsuit against the state, asserting they are underfunded. These so-called “small cities” districts have a number of characteristics in common, such as high poverty rates and low property values.

SUNY officials must keep that in mind when they are considering this charter school. Moreover, while Watson has his supporters and could point to some successes as superintendent, he left the district in February 2006 amid several controversies. He was indicted on charges ranging from falsifying documents about four hirings to accepting a pay raise and taking personal time for which he was not entitled. He was later exonerated of all charges. But a state comptroller’s audit found that under his helm, the district spent more than $1.2 million in taxpayer funds "irresponsibly," blaming that, in part, on "the board's lenient attitude about controls" and Watson's decisions to use that latitude to maneuver around hiring practices and make agreements with his administrators that benefited them financially.

Critics also pointed to a favorable separation agreement that let him walk away with nearly 1 1/2 years' worth of his $163,500 annual salary, as well as benefits. After the criminal case against him ended years later, the Poughkeepsie Journal wrote in an editorial, “Watson did make some controversial decisions, especially regarding some hiring matters, but he always maintained his actions enriched the school district, not himself. That is an important distinction and probably is why he is a free man today.”

If this charter school is approved, the state must guarantee there will be judicious accounting of how the public money is being used.

As it turns out, the district is just getting over another tumultuous superintendent tenure, with Nicole Williams departing after exchanging lawsuits with the school board majority. Over the last few years, the district has dealt with host of problems, from declining graduation rates to scoring irregularities on tests. Kathleen Farrell, who's been an assistant superintendent for the past year, has been named interim school chief for the 2018-19 year, with the promise of bringing more stability to the district

SUNY's Charter Schools Institute has many factors to consider when it comes to this particular charter proposal and at this particular time. A quick approval would not be prudent.

Opinion Engagement Editor John Penney wrote this editorial on behalf of The Poughkeepsie Journal Editorial Board. Email him at jpenney@gannett.com; follow him on Twitter at @johnpenneynews